Air conditioning apparatus



1943- J. DITZLER AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1941 Z1 Fuzz.

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INVENTOR JOHN L. D lTZL-ER WITNESSES:

ATTORN Patented Feb. 9, 1943 v r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRCONDITIONING APPARATUS John L. Ditzler, Springfield, Mass, assignor toWestinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application June 20, 1941, Serial No.398,869

7 Claims.

This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus, more particularlyto an air conditioning unit adapted to be disposed in the enclosure tobe air conditioned, and it has for an object to provide improvedapparatus of this type.

A further object is to provide an air conditioning unit having animproved arrangement which permits the conditioned air to be selectivelydischarged from the apparatus in either one of two general directions.

A still further object is to provide air conditioning unit having animproved and simple arrangement which permits the conditioned air to bedischarged from the front of the unit or from the top of the unit.

These and other objects are eifected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and claims taken in accordance with theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a self-contained package type airconditioning unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2is a vertical section taken along line II-lI-of Fig. 1 showing theoutlet in'position for discharging the conditioned air from the front ofthe unit;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section similar to Fig. 2 but showing theoutlet in position for dis-' charging the conditioned air from the topof theunit;

Fig. 4 is a detail of of the outlet through which the conditioned air isdischarged;

Fig. 5 is a view taken approximately along line v-v of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view taken along line VI-VI of Fig. 4 showing how thecorner piece is attached to the cabinet.

Referring specifically to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a self-containedpackage-type air conditioning unit embodying the present invention. Thisunit includes a compressor ii, a condenser i2, and an evaporator l3which are connected so as to provide a conventional refrigeratingsystem. A blower I4 isprovided for circulating air to be conditioned orcooled over the evaporator I3. The refrigerating system and the blowerl4 arenclosed in a substantially rectangular cabinet it.

horizontal top wall 22. The rear, wall I9 is removably attached to thecabinet by screws 23. The front wall l8 has an air inlet opening 26openings provided by cutting away the corner of the cabinet. Theportion'33 of the corner piece has an air outlet opening 34 therein andthe portion 35 is imperi'orate so as to close the opening that itextends across.

The corner piece 32 may be mounted as shown in Fig. 2, to discharge theair forwardly, in which case the portion 33 extends across the openingin the front wall and. the imperforate portion 35 closes the opening inthe top wall. The comer piecemay also be reversed and attached in theposition shown in Fig. 3 to discharge the air upwardly. In this case,the portion 33 having the outlet opening extends across the opening inthe top wall and the im'perforate portion 35 closes the opening in thefront wall.

Suitable provision is made fordetachably retaining the corner piece 32on the cabinet in either one of the above-mentioned positions. Forexample, there may be provided, as shown on the drawing, flanges 35 onthe cabinet and flanges 31 on thecomer piece 32, and screws 38 and 39which extend through holes in the flanges 36 and ar screw-threaded intoholes in the flanges 31. The screw openings in the several flanges arepreferably all similarly placed; that is, the openings in each of theflanges 31 are in alignment with the openings in each of the flanges 36,so that the same openings may be used for both positions of thereversible comer piece. Access is bad to the screws 38 by removing therear wall l9 from the cabinet and access is had to the screws 39 byremoving the grill 21 from the air inlet opening 26.

A plurality of individually, manually, adjustable louvers 40 extendacross the air outlet open- These louvers permit selective control ofing 34. the direction of flow of the air discharged through the outletopening 34. They are mounted by means of trunnions 4| which extend fromeach end of the respective louvers. These trunnions are pivotallycarried in holes in angle irons 42 which are attached to the cornerpiece adjacent two opposite sides of the air outlet opening 34. As seenfrom Figs. 4 and 5 all of the trunnions on the corresponding ends of therespective louvers 40 lie in substantially the same vertical plane. Ahairpin-shaped member 43 having resilient legs 44 is provided forapplying friction to the trunnions 4| to hold thelouvers 40 in adjustedpositions. The legs 44 of the members 43 extend adjacent two oppositesides of all of the trunnions 4| on the corresponding ends of therespective louvers and are held in frictional engagement with thetrunnions by screws 45. In order to assure good frictional contactbetween each of the trunnions 4| and the legs 44, a screw 45 is providedbetween each pair of adjacent trunnions 4|. The screws 45 are accessiblefor adjusting when the corner piece 32 is oil the cabinet.

The compressor I is mounted in the lower portion of the cabinet l6. Thiscompressor is the conventional reciprocating pump type and has thecondenser l2 wrapped around the body of the same.

The blower I4 is mounted in the central portion of the cabinetsubstantially opposite the air inlet opening 26. The blower I4 includesa blower wheel 41 and housing 48 having a discharge opening 49. .As seenfrom the drawing, this discharge opening is located rearwardly in thecabinet I6 so that the air discharged therefrom is forced through theevaporator 3 from the rear thereof. An electric motor is provided fordriving theblower wheel 41 through a belt or some other suitable powertransmitting means. A filter 50 is located between the air inlet opening26 and the inlet to the blower M.

The evaporator I3 is located in the upper portion of the cabinet l6 andis supported on a pan 52 which serves to catch and drain away thecondensate from the evaporator. This evaporator is preferably of theconventional cross fin serpentine coil type and it is positionedrearwardly from the openings provided in the cabinet by cutting away thecorner of the same. The reason for so positioning the evaporator is toassure that substantially all of the air that passes through saidopenings must pass through and in contact with substantially all of theevaporator l3.

During the operation of the unit, air is drawn in through the air inletopening 26 and the filter 50 by the blower wheel 41 and is forcedthrough the blower housing 48, along the path indicated by the arrows inFigs. 2 and 3, through the evaporator I3 and out through the openings inthe corner of the cabinet Hi. If the corner piece 32 is in the positionshown in Fig. 2, the air will be discharged from the front of thecabinet It. If the comer piece 32 is in the position shown in Fig. 3,the air will be discharged from the top of the cabinet I 6.

Self-contained package-type air conditioning units are usually installedeither on the floor or up against the ceiling of a room. If the unit isinstalled on the floor, a top discharge is desired. If the unit isinstalled up against the ceiling, a front discharge is desired.Heretofore, in order to provide units for floor installation and ceilinginstallation, two separate models have been provided, that is, one modelhaving a top discharge for floor installation and one model having afront discharge for up against the ceiling installation. An advantage ofthe unit provided by this invention is that it' may be installed eitheron the floor or up against the ceiling. If the unit is installed upagainst the ceiling, the corner piece 32 is positioned on the cabinet l6as shown in Fig. 2 with the discharge opening at the front of thecabinet. If the unit is installed on the floor, the corner piece 32 ispositioned on the cabinet I6 as shown in Fig. 3 with the dischargeopening at the top of the cabinet.

Although, this invention has been described in connection with coolingapparatus, it will be understood that it might be used equally as wellwith heating apparatus, that is, with a cabinet having a heating coiltherein in place of the evaporator l3.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, itis seen that this invention has provided improved air conditioningapparatus of the self-contained package type improved arrangement whichpermits the conditioned air to be selectively discharged from theapparatus in either one of two general directions.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of an evaporator, ablower for circulating air over said evaporator, a substantiallyrectangular cabinet enclosing said evaporator and said blower,'saidcabinet having substantially equal sized adjoining openings in the frontand top sides thereof, said openings being on the discharge side of saidevaporator, a separate substantially right angular corner pieceincluding an imperforate portion and a portion having an air dischargeopening therein, said portions of said corner piece being substantiallyequal in size and corresponding approximately in size to said openingsin said cabinet, means for retaining said corner piece in first andsecond positions on said cabinet, said first position being such thatthe imperforate portion closes the opening in the top of the cabinet andthe portion having the discharge opening therein is adjacent the openingin the front of the cabinet so as to cause the air passed over theevaporator to be discharged from the front of the cabinet, said secondposition being such that the imperforate portion closes the opening inthe front of the cabinet and the portion having the discharge openingtherein is adjacent the opening in the top of the cabinet so as to causethe air passed over the evaporator to be discharged from the top of thecabinet.

2. In a self-contained air conditioning unit, the combination of arefrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, and anevaporator; a blower for circulating air over said evaporator; asubstantially rectangular cabinet enclosing said refrigeration systemand said blower, an opening in the front side of said cabinet throughwhich air is drawn by said blower and forced through said evaporatorfrom the rear thereof, adjoining openings in the front and top sides ofsaid cabinet through which the air passed over said evaporator isdischarged from said cabinet, said evaporator being located rearwardlyfrom said openings so that substantially all of the air dischargedthrough said openings must pass through said evaporator, a separatesubstantially right-angular corner piece including an imperforateportion and a portion having an air discharge opening therein, means fordetachably retaining said comer piece in position on said cabinet withthe imperforate portion closing the opening in the top of the cabinetand with the portion having the discharge opening therein adjacent theopening in the frontof the cabinet to cause the air passed over saidevaporator to be discharged from the front of the cabinet, said cornerportion being reversible on said cabinet, and means for detachablyretaining said corner portion in position on said cabinet with theimperforate portion closing the opening in the front of the cabinet andwith the portion having the discharge opening therein adjacent theopening in the top of the cabinet to cause the air passed over theevaporator to be discharged from the top of the cabinet. i

3. In an air-conditioning unit, the combination of a refrigerationsystem including an evaporator; a blower for circulating air over saidevaporator, a substantially rectangular cabinet enclosing saidrefrigeration system and said blower, said cabinet having adjoiningopenings in the front and top sides-thereof, said openings being on thedischarge side of said evaporator, a separate substantiallyright-angular corner piece including an imperforate portion and aportion having an air discharge opening therein, individually adjustablelouvers extending across saidair discharge opening for permittingselective control of the direction of flow of air passing through saidopening, said louvers being mounted by means of trunnions extending fromtheir respective ends, all of the trunnions on the corresponding ends ofthe respective louvers lying in substantially the same plane, resilientmembers extending adjacent to two sides of said trunnions near the endsof said louvers, means clamping said resilient members into engagementwith said trunnions to frictionally hold said louvers in adjustedposition, means for retaining said corner piece in first and secondpositions on said cabinet, said first position being such that theimperforate portion closes the opening. in the top of the cabinet andthe portion having the discharge opening therein is adjacent the openingin the front of the cabinet so as to cause the air passed over theevaporator to be discharged from the front of the cabinet, said secondposition being such that the imperforate portion closes the opening inthe front of the cabinet and the portion having the discharge openingtherein is adjacent the opening in the top of the cabinet so as to causethe air passed over the evaporator to be discharged from the top of thecabinet.

4. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a refrigerationsystem including an evaporator, a blower for circulating air over saidevaporator,-a substantially'rectangular cabinet enclosing saidrefrigeration system and said blower, said cabinet having adjoiningopenings in the front and top sides thereof, said openings being on thedischarge side of said evaporator, a separate substantially rightangular corner piece I trunnions on the corresponding ends of therespective louvers lying substantially in the same plane, resilientmembers extending adjacent to two sides of said trunnions near the endsof said louvers, screws extending between each pair of second positionbeing suchthat the imperforate portion closesthe opening in the front ofthe cabinet and the portion having the discharge opening therein isadjacent the opening in the top of. the cabinet so as to cause the airpassed over the evaporator to be discharged from the top of the cabinet.

5. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a temperaturechanging element, a blower for circulating air over said temperaturechanging element, .a substantially rectangular cabinet enclosing saidtemperature changing element and said blower, said cabinet havingsubstantially equal sized adjoining openings in the front and top sidesthereof, said openings being on the discharge side of said temperaturechanging element, a separate substantially right-angular corner pieceincluding an imperforate portion and a portion having an air dischargeopening therein, means for retaining said corner piece in first andsecond positions on said cabinet, said first position being such thatthe imperforate portion closes the opening in the top of the cabinet andthe portion having the discharge opening therein is adjacent the openingin the front of the cabinet so as to cause the air passed over thetemperature-changing element to bedischarged from the front of thecabinet, said second position being such that the imperforate portioncloses the opening-in the front of the cabinet and the portion havingthe discharge opening therein is adjacent the opening in the top of thecabinet so as to cause the air passed over the temperature changingelement to be discharged from the topof the cabinet.

6.- In an ai'rconditioning unit, the combination of a refrigerationsystem including an evaporator, a blower for circulating air' over saidevaporator, a substantially rectangular cabinet enclosing saidrefrigeration system and said blower, said cabinet having a removableback wall and an air inlet opening in its front wall, said air inletopening having a removable grill positioned therein, said cabinet havingsubstantially equal sized adjoining openings in the front and top sidesthereof, said openings being on the discharge side of said evaporator, aseparate substantially right-angular comer piece including animperforate portion and a portion having an air discharge openingtherein, said portions of said comer piece being substantially equal insize and corresponding approximately in size to said openings in saidcabinet, means for detachably securing said comer piece in first andsecond positions on said cabinet, said securing means being madeaccessible for manipulation by removing the back wall from said cabinetand by removing the grill from said inlet opening, said first positionbeing such that the imperforate portion closes the opening in the top ofthe cabinet and the portion having the discharge opening therein isadjacent the opening in the side of the cabinet so that the air passedover said evaporator is caused to-be opening in adjacent portions ofsaid two sides, an angular corner member for said opening comprising alouvered part disposed in and extending across the portion of saidopening in one of said sides and comprising another part forming aclosure for the portion of said opening in the other of said sides, saidcorner member being reversible to place the louvered part in eitherportion of the opening and the other part in the 10 other portion of theopening.

JOHN L. DITZLER.

